Coming off of her first title-defense, belt around her waist, Ronda Rousey called out former Strikeforce featherweight champ Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos to express her unwavering interest in a fight between the two. However, Santos was stripped of her title after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, prompting Rousey to state she would only fight her at bantamweight. However, according to Rousey’s representative, there is more to it then that.

Rousey’s manager, Darin Harvey, went on The MMA Hour this week and revealed there would be more conditions then just the weight cut.

“I won’t sign the bout agreement unless they agree to random drug testing throughout the camp,” explained Harvey. “From the beginning, from the date that the bout agreement is signed, or maybe even before that point, until the day they fight. And if they don’t agree to that, we wont fight her.”

It had been a long-standing rumor that “Cyborg” was abusing PEDs, but it remained nothing more than accusations until she was caught and suspended. Harvey addressed the matter further, explaining, “People have speculated but you couldn’t really prove it. Now, it’s been proven. This is my belief. I’m not a doctor but I’ve been around athletes my whole life and I believe that when you take steroids, you alternate your body permanently. Maybe you lose some of the muscle mass, but a lot remains. So she’s permanently altered her body.”

She’s been taking male hormones, and it’s not only unethical, it’s freaking dangerous, and you’re endangering the lives of the athletes. She’s coming in there basically with man-like strength or male hormones in her body, and she’s endangering the lives of our athletes,” he continued.

Harvey also said that Rousey’s team would pay for any and all testing if that was the only barrier and affirmed again they would not be swayed from taking the fight without the stipulation in place. He also said they would take it one step further and ask for a hair follicle test as illicit substances can be traced in hair follicles for up to three months after ingestion while steroids can be cycled out of blood and urine.

“I’ll tell you why,” Harvey said. “I believe this is not the first time she used steroids; it’s only the first time she’s been caught.”

Unfortunately, it seems unlikely Santos will agree to the conditions, as she has not changed her stance on being unable to make bantamweight without seriously risking her own health.

I don’t blame him for taking this position. Remember what happened to Matt Hughes in the Alves fight? Alves came in heavy and Hughes agreed to fight to save the main event. He got ktfo’d for his loyalty. Rousy’s management is doing its job by protecting her.

Smart banter from Ronda’s camp. It helps create the perception among fans that she’s down to fight and the ball is in Cyborg’s court to make it happen. While at the same time continuing with the PED dig at Cyborg, which might gradually goad Cyborg into actually making the cut. Not sure it would save Ronda from a beating in the cage, but it would at least give her an advantage with the physical preparation leading up to the fight… maximizing her *chances* of winning, which is all she & her camp can try to do.

But this is starting to sound like Pacquiao and Mayweather going around in circles, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Why not go the VADA route, as BJ and Rory have sorta broken ground on? The comments & demands coming from Ronda’s camp regarding PED testing sound pretty complicated & convoluted. I haven’t taken the time to look too deep into the VADA set up, but it seems to be pretty thorough, considered legit, and apparently VADA somehow covers the funding? Maybe there’s a catch somewhere but what’s not to like?

It would not shock me if SF is willing to turn their back on Cyborg and the 145 “division” (i.e. some cans and Cyborg) and just concentrate on finding opponents for Rhonda. 135 is coming together nicely, with Tate opening a lot of eyes, Kedzie having the performance of her career and a dominant champion sitting on the throne.